Overview
- The Nature study published Wednesday identified CcCoV‑KY43, a heart‑nosed bat virus from East Africa, entering human cells by binding the receptor CEACAM6.
- Crystallography confirmed that the virus’s receptor‑binding domain locks onto the IgV‑like region of CEACAM6.
- Researchers tested synthesized spike proteins on pseudotyped particles instead of using live virus to map which human receptors enable entry.
- Field partners in Kenya linked the virus to heart‑nosed bats and reported only limited antibody signals in nearby communities, showing no clear evidence of recent spillover.
- The team also saw human CEACAM6‑dependent entry in other Kenyan alpha‑CoVs, and they note CEACAM6 is abundant in human lung cells, which heightens interest in targeted surveillance.